This is the second of two videos we have for critical path. This video provides an overview of how to calculate critical path by hand. This can help you prepare for critical path questions on the certification exams. By the way, this video is part of Andy’s e-learning program entitled “Essentials of Project Management“. Learn more at http://courses…

This is the first of two videos we have for critical path. This video provides an overview of critical path, including some practical applications. By the way, this video is part of Andy’s e-learning program entitled “Essentials of Project Management“. Learn more at http://courses.i-leadonline.com/courses/essentials-of-pm. Use a coupon code of ESSE…

Sometimes it’s easier to understand how to facilitate a WBS exercise if you can see one in action. In this video, Andy Kaufman shows you how to facilitate one. Don’t miss his very insightful helpers! By the way, this video is part of Andy’s e-learning program entitled “Essentials of Project Management“. Learn more at http://courses.i-leadonline.com…

The guys at the Manager Tools podcast talk about Horstman’s Law of Project Management, which is “Who Does What By When”. That’s not a bad summary, all things considered. Activity sequencing has an element of that law. What is the order of the activities to most efficiently complete this project? In this video, Andy Kaufman, PMP demonstrates how to …

Risk. It can be a four-letter word in some organizations! Bring up a risk and you could be viewed as not being a team player or as being negative. There’s a difference between being risk averse and denial of risk. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast discusses how denial of…

Ever been given a timeframe that seems impossible to hit? If you’ve managed projects for any length of time, you know what I mean. Your boss or customer thinks it can be done in a certain timeframe and you think it’s going to take longer. Rock. Hard place. And you seem to be stuck. How you handle that situation can be the difference between deliver…

Hey, I’m pretty good at the game “Flight Simulator” on the computer! Want to hop on a real flight with me at the stick? I’m guessing not! There’s a difference between knowledge and skills. And there’s a difference between someone being available to join your team and whether or not they’re a good fit for the role. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, h…

We can reasonably argue that continual change is not a problem with projects. It is, of course, but it’s not worth complaining about because it’s just the nature of the game. The problem is how we respond to change. It’s not a matter of if change will happen on your project. It’s only a matter of when. This is where project managers really earn the…

Think of the last project that you delivered…. How do you know whether or not it was considered to be a success? I get to ask that question to people all over the world. More often than not, the responses people provide tend to be subjective. For example, “No one was yelling at me so it must have been good!” It’s a question we need to ask up front,…

How would you describe your project management culture? I have the privilege of intersecting with hundreds of organizations and many effectively describe their culture as “Ready, Fire, Aim!” There may be some plan, but when it comes to planning vs. action, action wins every time. Successful project organizations invest in their project management c…

From 30,000 feet, every project is pretty easy! Same with projects. From a high-level it can be easy to think, “Hey, how tough can this be?” But we need to get out of the clouds and get our arms around our projects as early as possible. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast …

I’m amazed at what you can get away with if you manage expectations. You can deliver late. You can over-spend. But only if you manage expectations along the way. Not manage those expectations and I’m equally amazed at how even one stakeholder can inflict serious pain on your project! How do you manage expectations? Involvement. Stephen Covey has sa…

Pop quiz for you and your team: How would you describe your project management methodology? I’ve been to many organizations where, if the question was asked to five people, I could easily get 3-5 different answers. The key is not to come up with the thickest methodology binder! In fact, over-encumbering your team with too much methodology is not wh…

One of the single most important indicators of whether you will deliver successfully or not comes down to the support you’re getting from your sponsor. Having support doesn’t mean you get everything you ask for (including doubling your pay)! What does it mean? How do you get it? In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcas…

As we discussed in the video on Continual and Unregulated Change, it’s not a matter of if change will occur on your project–it’s only a matter of when. So how can you improve your ability to deliver projects despite the changes? Managing constraints is key, and in this video, Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The Pe…

A basic practice that has proven to help project success is to develop a Project Charter. You’ve heard that, right? But who likes to create more paperwork? Isn’t this just an academic issue that over-encumbers project teams with more administrivia? In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Proje…

In previous videos we’ve talked about the importance of managing stakeholder expectations. It’s critical. The first key to managing stakeholder expectations is to identify who they are. Of course this seems obvious but the Project Management Institute does a great job of helping us get a better understanding of who are stakeholders are. Hint: there…

Every project has assumptions–things we don’t know whether they are true, real, or certain. Yet we often don’t sufficiently document those assumptions. How does it help a project to more thoroughly document assumptions? What’s the benefit for the extra work? In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People…

In a previous video we discussed how unclear objectives lead to project failure. So, how do we go about creating measurable objectives? In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares key lessons about answering the question: “How do we know what success looks like?” Download t…

Create a WBS? Can anything with the letters “BS” be a good idea? From the standpoint of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the center of the universe! You wouldn’t think of doing a project without having a WBS. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and …

Group-think. We’ve all experienced it. Maybe it’s when a problem is being talked about and you don’t feel comfortable bucking the discussion trend. Or maybe you have someone on your team who is very opinionated and overly dominates discussions. A little known but powerful technique for soliciting input from a group of people during a project (or an…

Eventually project management comes down to “who does what by when,” and that’s what sequencing is. It’s easy to talk about the concept of sequencing, but in practice, it can be a challenge to do it well. But a well thought-out sequence of activities can make the difference between time constraints that seem unrealistic and those that are do-able. …

What do you do when you’re being asked to deliver scope in a timeframe that just isn’t doable? Some project managers just give in. Others become the “no guy”, who essentially pushes back and is known to be more of an obstacle than part of the solution. What are some good practices when it comes to influencing sponsors, customers, and other stakehol…

In a previous video we discussed the dangers of “denial of risk”. A solid risk management process can significantly improve your ability to successfully deliver projects. But how do you do it? Do you need a PhD in risk management? In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares…